The Virginia Gazette

A Letter from Lunéville, July 27.

Since it was our Fate to change our Master, and that of Lorraine to become subject to a Stranger, we could not have been happier than in falling under the Government of King Stanislaus, if People in our Circumstances can possibly be happy; that Prince has all the Royal Virtues that ever adorned a King, he has Qualities that would soften the Hearts of even the fiercest and most uncultivated Barbarians into Tenderness and Respect for him, and none but such a Prince could have dried up our Tears for the Catastrophe of our Country, in passing from the Hands of a Family which had governed it 300 Years, more like a natural than a political Father: None but Stanislaus himself ever could have render'd us consoleable after parting with the Duke of Lorraine.

Our new Sovereign every Day gains new Hearts and the only Affliction now reigning in this Country is the killing Reflection that he is not immortal, nor has he a Son to succeed him; another Change must come, in a few Years, by the Course of Nature, we must lose our King, and receive an Intendant from Paris, who, perhaps, will bring along with him Beggary, Avarice, Insolence, and Pride.

This Reflection alone strikes a mortal Damp on all our present Enjoyments, and anticipates our Misfortunes: The Thoughts of falling under a French Government, with the Train of Oppressions that ever waits upon the Heels of its cruel Ministers, and the petty Tyrants it sends into the Provinces, mix a Bitter with all the Sweets of our present Administration.

The King, it is true, has formed a new Council of State, is every Day assiduous in it, and does every Thing that we could wish him to do, but all this is but a Respite from Slavery; when he goes, away goes our Liberty and Happiness along with him: We shall then become a Prey to Projectors of new Taxes; the raising the Revenues of Lorraine to something near an Equivalent of the Purchase of it (as the Expence of the last War will then be called) is what we are now apprehensive we must prepare for and submit to.

Have we not Reason then to curse the last War, which was undertaken with no other View than to make Slaves of the People of Lorraine, under the precious Pretext of vindicating the Honour of Louis XV. in the Person of his Father-in-Law?

We are the first Victims of that War, but we are not likely to be the last: Some of our Neighbours might have prevented our Fate, but would not; that they had nothing to do in the Quarrel of Poland was their constant Excuse, and now they may remember the old Latin Compliment of the Death's Head, hodie mihi, cras tibi.

Do they think that France will be more tractable with the Addition of Lorraine to her Monarchy, and the House of Austria her Friend, than she was when she had neither of those Advantages to forward her Designs?